Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation
362 Pinehill Drive
Mobile, Alabama 36606-1715
(251) 479-2199 ● (888) RIDE-SAFE
FAX (25) 479-7099
www.EESF.org
Barbara Allen - Executive Director
Laurie Dueitt - Program Director
Ashley Rains - Public Relations Director
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ashley Rains - Public Relations Director
Ashley@EESF.org
(251) 479-2199
EESF, KONE, Inc. Combine Efforts to Begin New Corporate Volunteer Program
March 25, 2009 - KONE Americas’ 2008 Leaders Meeting in San Diego contained a team-building event with a twist. The team building event was built around a community give-back activity. In that year’s event, KONE leaders built bikes in teams, which were then donated to needy children in the area.
At the January 2009 Leaders Meeting held in Chicago, KONE’s team-building event focused on the safe use of elevators and escalators. Laurie Dueitt, Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation (EESF) Program Director, contacted Chicago area schools and was able to secure 13 schools to participate. Each classroom had at least four KONE leaders, one of which was dressed as Safe-T Rider. Overall, 22 classrooms with over 1,000 children participated in the program. This number represents more students than EESF reached in the first year of existence!
EESF Executive Director, Barbara Allen, gave a brief presentation to the leaders prior to their departure for the schools. The leaders viewed the Safe-T Rider illustration video, which gives explicit details on how to administer the program.
Each team had to decide who would take various roles, such as team leader, photographer and Safe-T Rider. During the short ride to the school, each group had the opportunity to review the teacher’s guide and sort out their plan for the event.
Each classroom presentation went exceptionally well. The most frequent comment from the managers was “I could not believe the children’s positive responses to the program.”
Vance Tang, Area Director of KONE, issued the following statement following the presentations via email to all those who participated:
Everyone I spoke to found the EESF safety training to elementary school kids to be both rewarding and enjoyable. I spoke with Barbara Allen (EESF Director) on the ride back from the school and she told me that we delivered this training to more kids in one day than they did in their entire first year! We have a tremendous opportunity to align our corporate charitable interests (with a historical focus on children), our desire to be the clear industry leader in safety with both employees and end-users and our financial objectives by continuing to provide strong leadership in delivering the Safe-T Rider presentations throughout the Americas. In fact, I am going to make a goal on our collective behalf to have EVERYONE who participated in the 2009 ALM complete at least one additional Safe-T Rider training program in their hometown by the end of this year.
EESF worked with KONE leadership to get the Safe-T Rider program approved in local schools so these leaders can present the program where they work and live. A KONEspecific volunteer link has been placed on EESF’s volunteer web page to make requesting materials more convenient.
“The Safe-T Rider program is an ideal vehicle to assist KONE in fulfilling its moral obligation to further end-user safety and to give back to the communities in which it operates,” said Tim Thompson, KONE’s End-User Safety Director. “As our leaders continue to deliver the program across North America, our customers, the industry and the general public will clearly view KONE as a leader in elevator and escalator safety.”
This opportunity has increased EESF’s volunteer base by over 100, which greatly increases the number of children that will be reached.
EESF appreciates the efforts of KONE employees and hopes other companies will follow suit with the idea of incorporating the Safe-T Rider program into their community initiatives.
For more information about the Safe-T Rider program, volunteering with EESF or for general information, please visit our web site at www.EESF.org or contact EESF at (800) 949-6442 or info@EESF.org.
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